Suspenders



ANDREW J. BOBBS, OF MARION, INDIANA.

SUSPENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,074, dated May 26,1891. Application filed September 19, 1890. Serial No. 365,565. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ANDREW J. HOBBS, of Marion, in the county of Grantand State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement inBack-Brace and Support, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined backbrace and support adapted to giveshape to the back and shoulders and at the same time support thegarments of wearers.

The object of'my invention is to provide an article of the above classthat shall consist of very few light parts arranged and connected toform a neat and compact brace, which is particularly well adapted forwarm weather.

\Vith this object in view my invention consists of a narrow back-pieceadapted to be worn between the shoulders and along the spine, saidback-piece being stiffened by a central longitudinal stay of steel orwhalebone, the supporting and bracing straps connected with theback-piece crossing each other diagonally thereon, the cross-straparranged at right angles to the back-piece and connected near the lowerend of the same and with the supporting-straps, anclthe fastening andsupporting devices secured to the ends of the cross and supportingstraps, respeetively.

My invention consists, further, in certain peculiarities of constructionand combination of parts, as will be more'fully explained hereinafter.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a rearview of my improved back-brace and support, the parts being connectedthe same as when used by an adult male. Fig. 2 is a similar view showingthe device modified for use upon women and children. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I employ a back-piece 10,which backpiece consists of a narrow strip of webbing, preferablyinelastic, which is formed with a pocket to receive the centrallongitudinal stay 11,'of steel or whalebone, as desired. The

pocket for this stay is usually constructed by folding the thin strip ofwebbingtransversely upon itself at a point near the middle, placing thestay between the folds and securing the same by stitching, as clearlyshown, the end of the longer fold projecting downwardly, the purpose ofwhich will be set forth farther on.

Supporting and bracing straps 12 12 are secured to the back-piece 10 bystitching, said straps crossing each other diagonally thereon, and itwill be seen that these straps are secured to the back-piece 10 and toeach other by the same stitching that confines the stay 11 within thefolds of the back-piece. A short cross-strap 13 is secured near thelower end of the back-piece at right angles to the same, extending oneach side of the same a distance sufficient to meet thesupporting-straps 12, to which it is also secured by stitching. Thecross-strap has fastening devices 14 secured at each end of same, whichdevices are adapted to engage and hold the upper ends of thesupporting-straps 12 after they have been passed over the shoulders andunder the arms. The lower portions of the straps 12 extend aconsiderable distance below the cross-strap, and are provided with theadjustable fastening devices 15, adapted to be secured to the trousers,the lower ends of said straps 12 being passed diagonally across theadjacent loins, whereby the fastening devices 15 are adapted to engagethe trousers at the side and front. An adjustable fastening device 16 issecured to the projecting fold of the backpiece 10, which device 16 isadapted to engage and support the trousers at the back. The upperportions of the straps 12, which pass beneath the arms, are formed ofwater-proof elastic rubber tubing 12, arranged and coilnected as shownand described in my previous patent, No. 32,303, dated July 15,1800,where by the straps are prevented curling and. rotting where they passbeneath the arms. The back-piece 1O conforms to the shape of the back,bracing the same, and rests entirely above the waist-line. The upperends of sup porting and bracing straps 12, passing over the shouldersand under the arms back to the ends of the crossfstrap, keep theback-piece well up between the shoulders and also closely confined tothe body. The lower ends of the straps 12 being passed diagonally acrossthe adjacent loins to engage the trousers, also keep the back-piece inproper position and brace the shoulders, taking off a grat deal of thesupporting strain, which is so disagreeable in warm weather.

The back-piece 10, straps 12, and cross-strap 13 are all of the samewidth, and the straps 12 may be of elastic or inelastic webbing, asdesired.

For children and Women I employ a waistbelt 17, which-is attached tothelower ends of the straps 12 and the lower end of the projecting foldof the back-piece 10, said belt having buttons or other fastening device17 to which the childs breeches or womens skirts may be attached.

From the above it will be seen that I provide a combined back-brace andsupport which consists of very few and simple parts, which are easilyapplied, and on account of its peculiarity of construction andarrangementis particularly adapted for Warm weather, holding theshoulders back, supporting the garments without any unnecessary strainupon the wearer, and preventing any rubbing or chafing that commonlytakes place in this class of article.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Animproved back-brace and support consisting of the supporting-strapscrossing each other diagonally, the cross-strap attached to thesupporting-straps below the juncture of said straps, the dependingportion secured to the supporting-straps at their j uncturo and adaptedto be connected with and support the rear portion of the garment, thelower end of each supporting-strap adapted to be passed under the arm,connected with and support the forward portion of the garment, the upperends of the supporting-straps adapted to be passed around the shouldersand connected with the cross-strap, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. An improved back-brace and support consisting of the back-piecehavinga depending portion, the supporting-straps secured to theback-piece and crossing each other diagonally thereon, the cross-strapsecured to the lower end of the back-piece and connected with the lowerportions of the supportingstraps, fastening devices secured to the endsof the cross-strap, and adjustable supporting devices secured to thelower ends of the supporting strapsavhich are adapted to be passedaround the sides and connected with the forward side of the garment, theupper ends of said straps being passed over the shoulder, under the arm,and secured to the ends of the cross-straps, and adjustable supportingdevice secured to the lower end of the back-piece, adapted to beconnected to and support the rear portion of the garments,substantiallyas shown and described.

ANDREW J. BOBBS. lVitnesses:

C. G. MARsH, O. KINNEY.

